Introducing the new UK passport design

1 Introducing the newUK passport designThe new designFor many centuries, the United Kingdom has led the way in the creative industries. Her Majesty s passport Office is proud to launch the new Creative United Kingdom passport with some of the best achievements of the last 500 years in Great Britain and Northern new passport contains images depicting just some of the successesin innovation, architecture, art, and performance that the UK has brought to the world. For innovation, these include Stephenson s Rocket and the London Underground. To represent architectural excellence, the work of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and modern day architecture such as the Falkirk Wheel are shown.

2 In art, the work of John Constable, as well as current greats Antony Gormley and Anish Kapoor, are included. William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre are also featured to represent the very best of what the UK has brought to the performing new 34 page book houses the most intricate designs that have ever been produced for a UK passport . In keeping with its theme, these designs, coupled with some of the latest security features, mean that the new passport is at the very forefront of creativity in secure document UK passport is one of the most important documents a British national can hold, giving them the freedom of international travel and a means to prove their identity.

3 But as an internationally respected document it also becomes a target for fraudsters who try to create false passports, or tamper with existing ones for criminal passport Office is committed to its key responsibility in protecting the public from such criminal activity, and it is this responsibility that drives the regular updating of the passport new passport uses the latest and most secure printing and design techniques. This includes advances in security printing, inks, watermarks and holograms, alongside a continuous personal details page, which is a method of construction that has never previously been enhancements demonstrate HM passport Office s dedication to protecting its customers from the threat of passport fraud, and for the UK passport to retain its deserved status as one of the most secure and highly trusted travel documents in the security featuresThe UK passport is a universally trusted document.

4 It allows British nationals to prove who they are in a wide range of situations, and the freedom to move around the world. It is so trusted internationally that the UK passport allows its holder to travel without a visa to 173 countries across the world. There is no other passport that offers more visa-free trust is built on not only the document s physical and electronic security features that help to retain its integrity and meet strict international standards, but also the rigorous process that a person must follow to obtain a passport . However, this also makes the passport a valuable document.

5 Fraudsters will attempt to abuse it to commit crimes like identity and financial fraud, which can have devastating consequences for the victims. Protecting the public from these crimes is paramount. To stay several steps ahead of the forgers and fakers who may want to abuse the passport for criminal gain, the design is regularly updated. This ensures that it utilises evolving security technologies, and mitigates the risk of fraudulent latest design has improved physical security features, which keeps the UK passport secure from forgers and counterfeiters, making it harder to copy or tamper with.

6 Many of these features are top secret to prevent criminals from knowing all of the security details used in the passport . However, across the following pages, we highlight just a few of the security measures that are included in the new design . Personal details A new method of passport construction has been introduced to help prevent the personal details page from being removed or tampered with. The personal details page is a key target for passport fraudsters, who seek to manipulate the information and holder s image for criminal purposes. One continuous sheet of paper is used for the laminated personal details page, through to the page that is adjoined to the back cover.

7 This construction is designed to cause irreparable damage if tampered with, which would be obvious to any person who may need to checkthe document. A chip containing an electronic image of the passport holder is embedded into the document. This can be used to compare and verify that the printed images of the holder shown within the book are the same as on the chip. A secondary image of the passport holder features on page 3 of the passport . When magnified you will see that this image is constructed from the letters and numbers that make up the passport holder s surname and date of inks To prevent high quality forgeries of the passport , a variety of security inks are used to print the passport .

8 Such inks include:Intaglio - visible inks that have a distinctive ridged feel, such as the Royal Salutation, pictured to the right. Infrared - inks that remain visible or disappear when exposed to an infrared - inks that appear when exposed to UV - ink that fluoresces in two colours when viewed using a UV light, but appears as one single colour in printingThe passport is printed using sophisticated printingpresses which allow the document to include highlydetailed graphics incorporating a range of security features. These features include, but are certainly not limited to, the perfect alignment of invisible inks which can be seen using ultraviolet (UV) light with their visible counterparts, as well as graphics that only become obvious when the passport is viewed at an acute passport contains high security watermarks.

9 Embedded into each of the visa pages is a three dimensional watermark of William Shakespeare, and a bright, two dimensional watermark of a writer s scroll, a quill, and the corresponding page number. The personal details page contains a three dimensional watermark of the Gipsy Moth IV boat as well as the four floral motifs that represent the UK the rose for England, daffodil for Wales, thistle for Scotland, and shamrock for Northern Ireland. Perforated passport numberingThe passport number that is printed on page 1 of the passport , as well as the personal details page, also appears in perforation throughout the passport at the bottom of each page.

10 The perforated number contains different shaped holes which become smaller as you progress through the security fibresThese appear on every page of the passport . In daylight, these fibres consist of red and blue alternate bands. When exposed to a UV light source, each segment fluoresces in a different threadThe passport is bound using a security thread that consists of red,white and blue twisted strands. When exposed to UV light, each strand will laminate that is applied to the personal details page contains an array of holographic devices, including three dimensional holograms which appear to move when the passport is tilted from left to page designsCreative United KingdomFor centuries, the United Kingdom has led the way in the creative sector.